From the front, one might mistake the Mitsuoka for a Morgan Aero 8 since it has similar big, wide-eyed headlights and a long front grille. Other similar styling cues include flowing wheel arches and a long hood. Looking above the beltline, the Mitsuoka Roadster is all NC-generation Miata with the same windshield, hardtop, stubby antenna, and rear decklid. The interior doesn’t appear to have undergone as a significant transformation as the outside, as it has the same seats and cockpit as the last-gen Miata. Although it looks old-fashioned from the outside, Mitsuoka says that it boasts the latest technology, including the old Miata’s fast-folding power retractable hardtop and Bluetooth connectivity.

Even though Mitsuoka’s newest creation is based on the zoom-zoom roadster, the driving experience may differ considering the huge wheelbase extensions. Even still, the roadster keeps the Mazda’s 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that’s mated to a six-speed manual transmission or an automatic that sends power to the rear wheels.
Mitsuoka roadsters are built by hand in a small Japanese factory in Toyoma City, and will be sold in the U.K. through independent Mazda dealers TW White and Sons, which operates three dealerships in South London, Kent, and Surrey. The oddball roaster has been priced at £53,800, which equals about $82,000 USD.